


Crumbs of Kindness

by MyWordsMyChoice



Category: Count Alucard Series, Vampire Park, Willis Hall's "Vampire" Series
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Loneliness, vampire, vegetarian vampire
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-03
Updated: 2018-02-03
Packaged: 2019-03-13 03:48:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 593
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13562157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MyWordsMyChoice/pseuds/MyWordsMyChoice
Summary: Throw Count Alucard so much as the crumbs of kindness and he’d think the best of you.





	Crumbs of Kindness

Most of Castle Alucard was shrouded in darkness when the distant church bell tolled midnight. The lights of Vampire Park had dimmed, never again to be lit, as the count had told the Hollins family with unusual vehemence earlier that day, and it would take a sharp-eyed observer to notice the flicker of candlelight at the topmost tower window. There sat Henry Hollins, determined to savour every moment remaining to him in Transylvania. 

It was late, far too late for a 12 year old boy to be awake and Henry knew his parents would certainly disapprove if they found out. But for now at least, Albert and Emily Hollins were sleeping soundly, undisturbed by the wolves howling. A song of freedom, the count had called it. Albert Hollins had called it a bloody racket when he thought the count couldn’t hear him, but Henry had seen the hurt look on his friend’s face. 

A chill breeze rattled the windowpane and Henry shivered. Time enough for listening to the wolves in the morning, he supposed. The count had invited him along for his early morning stroll, and the pack was sure to join them. Sliding down from the windowsill, he descended the spiral staircase and tiptoed along the passage leading to his bedroom. A warm glow of firelight spilled out of the library door ahead of him, and he paused. The door had been left ajar for some reason... and was it his imagination or was that a violin playing? He pushed at the door and peered inside.

“Count? Are you in here?” 

Count Alucard’s long, pale face appeared around the back of the chair and he reached for the gramophone.

“Did I wake you? Come inside, the corridors are so cold.”

“You didn’t wake me,” Henry assured him, as he moved into the warmth of the library. “Actually, it was the wolves.”

“Ah,” Count Alucard sighed. “My dear children of the night. You must forgive them, Henry. They are revelling in the freedom that Freddie attempted to steal from them.”

“It’s alright.” Henry dragged another chair over to the fire and for many minutes, the two of them listened to the wolves howling and the soft violin notes. The count moved only to turn the record over on the gramophone, and Henry was almost asleep when his friend spoke again.

“That was the moment, you know. When Freddie caged the wolves, I knew he could not possibly be an Alucard. I _knew_. And yet...” The count’s voice trailed away and he closed his eyes for a long time, long enough for the record to finish. When he opened them again, Henry thought they looked redder around the edges than usual and more than a little watery, but it may only have been the firelight. The count shook his head slowly, staring hard at the stone floor. “What a fool you must think I am.”

Henry fidgeted a little. In truth, he did think his friend had been a _bit_ silly. Lord “Freddie” indeed, and had there been anyone who looked _less_ like a vampire than that chubby, checked shirt wearing imposter? Still, he could not say so, not with his friend looking so crestfallen.

“You’re not a fool.” Count Alucard looked up, the ghost of a smile on his lips.

“It is kind of you to say so, Henry Hollins.”

Henry sighed. Throw Count Alucard so much as the crumbs of kindness and he’d think the best of you. 

“I’m not just _saying_ it, Count. I mean it. You were lonely, that’s all.”


End file.
